Pirate special

[Ferryboatcaptain]

Picked this up at a gun show today for $35 . Seems pretty well made but has no writing on it . A .440 round ball drops a couple inches down the barrel and stops . Any info on this would be great . Thanks. FBC

 

[ppg1949]

I can’t help with ID but it looks way to cool. Thanks for sharing.

 

[deerstalkert]

take a dowel and lay it on top of the barrel with one end near the nipple. mark the muzzle point on dowel.
stick it down the bore and it will tell you if what is stopping the .440 ball is a load!
nice looking piece.

 

[Ferryboatcaptain]

take a dowel and lay it on top of the barrel with one end near the nipple. mark the muzzle point on dowel.
stick it down the bore and it will tell you if what is stopping the .440 ball is a load!
nice looking piece.

No , nothing in barrel

 

[medicine_duck]

Dang, I would have bought it too. I didn't fine anything cool at the gun show I went to yesterday

 

[rickystl]

Dang, I would have bought it too. I didn't fine anything cool at the gun show I went to yesterday

As related to traditional muzzle loading in general, I seldom see anything at the local gun shows any more. Guess it all goes to an auction site somewhere.

Rick

 

[rickystl]

As to the OP: Looks like a box-lock type pistol from the 1850's/60's (?). Can't figure out what that "hook" thing is in front and part of the trigger guard ?

Rick

 

[nhmoose]

It is called a belt hook.

 

[andy52]

It is called a belt hook.

That was my thinking also but it's pretty short for a belt hook. Maybe it was used under the belt, or a boot stop of some sort.

 

[nhmoose]

That hammer will dig in when put in a boot or belt Usually they are on the side opposite the lock but who knew the smiths reason.

 

[Ferryboatcaptain]

It is called a belt hook.

That was my guess

 

[Ferryboatcaptain]

Any place to get a main spring for it ?

 

[rickystl]

It is called a belt hook.

That was my first thought also. But it seems an odd location for a belt hook. Possibly a separate "loop" of some sort on the belt (?)

Rick

 

[russellshaffer]

Dixie has a lot of odd generic springs. Probably something that could be made to work. Really neat old pistol.

 

[Ferryboatcaptain]

Dixie has a lot of odd generic springs. Probably something that could be made to work. Really neat old pistol.

Yes I think one could make one if not easily found. I'm itching to fire it . FBC

 

[russellshaffer]

Is it rifled or smooth? Pretty easy to polish out a rough spot if it's smooth.

 

[TDM]

That was $35 Extremely well spent!

 

[Ferryboatcaptain]

Is it rifled or smooth? Pretty easy to polish out a rough spot if it's smooth.

Smooth bore

 

[armoredman]

Can you get a picture down the bore? I've seen some replicas with a partially finished barrel, then stopped up to prevent being loaded with a real ball.

 

[Birddog1911]

I wish I could get that lucky! Last pistol I saw at a show was a swamp donkey of a Japanese Harper's Ferry, and the clown wanted $750 for it!